Eryngium plant named ‘EPTJ’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Eryngium  plant named ‘EPTJ’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; and single blue-colored flowers arranged on dense flower heads.

Botanical designation: Eryngium planum

Cultivar denomination: ‘EPTJ’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium plant, botanically known as Eryngium planum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘EPTJ’.

The new Eryngium plant was discovered by the Inventors in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Rijswijk, The Netherlands, in April, 2007, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Eryngium planum ‘Paradise Jackpot’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,942. The new Eryngium plant was observed as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Paradise Jackpot’. The selection of this plant was based on its unique inflorescence form.

Asexual reproduction of the new Eryngium plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Rijswijk, The Netherlands since June, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Eryngium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Eryngium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘EPTJ’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘EPTJ’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Single blue-colored flowers on dense flower heads.

Plants of the new Eryngium differ from plants of the parent, ‘Paradise Jackpot’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Eryngium are more compact than plants of         ‘Paradise Jackpot’.     -   2. Plants of the new Eryngium are easier to propagate than         plants of ‘Paradise Jackpot’.

Plants of the new Eryngium can also be compared to plants of the Eryngium planum ‘Blue Hobit’, not patented. Plants of the new Eryngium differ from plants of ‘Blue Hobit’ primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Eryngium are more uniform in plant habit than plants of ‘Blue Hobit’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Eryngium plant. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Eryngium plant. The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘EPTJ’ grown in an outdoor nursery. The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘EPTJ’. The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘EPTJ’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rijswijk, The Netherlands during the summer in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Eryngium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants had been growing for one year when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification Eryngium planum ‘EPTJ’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Eryngium     planum ‘Paradise Jackpot’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,942. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 80 days at 12° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at             18° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy and thick; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             upright plant habit; freely branching with about eleven             lateral branches developing per plant. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 36.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 31.8 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 8.1 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Aspect: Mostly             upright to slightly outward. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 147C and 148B; tinged with             92B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length, stem leaves.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Length, basal leaves.—About 8.2 cm.         -   Width, stem leaves.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width, basal leaves.—About 7.4 cm.         -   Shape, stem leaves.—Palmately lobed.         -   Shape, basal leaves.—Obovate.         -   Apex, stem leaves.—Mucronate.         -   Apex, basal leaves.—Mucronulate.         -   Base, stem and basal leaves.—Hastate.         -   Margin, stem leaves.—Serrate.         -   Margin, basal leaves.—Crenate.         -   Texture, stem and basal leaves, upper and lower             surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.         -   Venation pattern, stem and basal leaves.—Pinnate.         -   Color, stem and basal leaves.—Developing leaves, upper             surface.—Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 137A to 137B; venation, close to 145D. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to             138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged             on dense ovoid flower heads; flowers sessile. Inflorescences             arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with usually             about 300 flowers developing per inflorescence. Flowers face             upright and outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; unpleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Eryngium             initiate and develop flowers during the late summer and             flower continuously from August through October in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant             and about twelve days as a cut flower; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 5 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl. Length:             About 1.8 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acute; recurved. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 97B to 97C. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 96A; color becoming closer to 98C             to 98D with development.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals in a single whorl. Length:             About 3 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145B. Color, mature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Inflorescence bracts.—Arrangement: About twelve bracts in a             single whorl subtending the flower head. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature and mature,             upper and lower surfaces: Between 147C and 148B strongly             tinged with close to 92B; midvein, close to 91C to 91D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: Main peduncle, erect; lateral peduncles, about 30°             from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Between 147C and 148B; tinged with 96D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About             four per flower. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to N92B. Filament length: About             2.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 97A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 156D.         -   Pistils.—Quantity: About two per flower. Pistil length:             About 3 mm. Style length: About 2.8 mm. Style color: Close             to 95D to lighter than 95D. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma             color: Close to 95D to lighter than 95D. Ovary color: Close             to 144B to 144C. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and seed development             have not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Eryngium have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Eryngium. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Eryngium have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind, have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about −15° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Eryngium plant named ‘EPTJ’ as illustrated and described. 